<p>Prompt:</p>
<p>Many people believe that our government should do more to solve our problems, after all, how can one individual create more jobs, or make roads safer, or improve the schools, or help to provide any of the other benefits that we have come to enjoy? And yet expecting that the government - rather than individuals - should always come up with the solutions to society's ills may have made us less self reliant, undermining our independence and self sufficiency.</p>
<p>Should people take more responsibility for solving problems that affect their communities or the nation in general? Plan and write an essay in which you develop your point of view on this issue.</p>
<pre><code> Essay:
America was built on the concept of individuality. Self-reliance has been a cornerstone of the United States from infancy. The colonies were formed through perserverence, and determination helped advance the nation. Even in modern times it is imperative for people to take personal responsibility and protect the American spirit of individualism.
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<p>One of the most striking examples of this individualistic concept is illustrated by the push to spread the American frontier. Families saw the chance to garner a better life, something that was not possible a few hundered years earlier, and stampeded toward the promise of a better future. Society celebrated the power of each man, and it was expected that people rely primarily on their own witt and determination. The image of a frontiersman became a national symbol of American pride. No other place on earth provided the opportunities found on the American west. The Homestead Act, passed during the Civil War, gave free land to anyone with the desire to claim it. Aspiring ranchers raced for the land, and the competition was intense for the best. After families and men claimed their stake on the frontier it was up to them to survive. Battling the elements, Indian attacks, and bandits were normal occurances. Government was non existant; the burden of survival was placed solely upon the individual. This attitude during this time period helped shape the American West and promote the country to one of the most powerful known.</p>
<pre><code> In contrast to history, there are many modern instances where it is a nessecity to exercise individual will power to achieve success. In present day Detroit, it is mandatory that people provide for themselves. The bankruptcy of the city means that ordinary governmental services are non existant. Police take hours to respond to calls, garbage pick up is unpredictable, and road repair is a novel concept. Residents of the city banded together to accomplish needed tasks on their own. Project Clean Detroit is a non profit organization that is made up of ordinary citizens. Their mission is to preserve the city that they love. Crews clear abandoned lots and tear down empty buildings, pot holes feet deep are filled to allow roads to be traversed. Neighborhood watches are organized to keep the streets safe. The power of the individual without government assistance is something that should be held priceless, a value that should be gaurded carefully against decay.
Individuality will never lose its importance. It is a trait that should be held above all others. Persons need to rely more on their own perserverence, and let government take a back seat in our civilization. Independence is a quality that our nation was founded on, and it is a quality that needs to remain in our society to protect everything from national heritage to somebody's neighborhood.
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<p>Could you please score this essay and then critique it and help me do better next time? Thanks</p>